TAPANUI MURDER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1608, 22 November 1905, Page 2

TAPANUI MURDER.

SHOOTING OF HAIN SING TONG. I (Per Press Association.) Dunedin, last night. At the Supreme Court to-day William Thomas Stott and George Hill Bromley were oharged with having, on or about 21st August, murdered Haiu Sing Tong, near Tapanui. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr J. F. M. Fraser, and Mr P. S. K. Macaseey conducted the prosecution, and Mr A. C. Hanlon defended.

Sing Tong lived by himself in a house on the outskirts of Tapanui, and always I locked the door at night. If he allowed admission it was only to one he knew well. He was last seen alive on the 21st August. That evening a shot was heard in the direction of his house. Next day another Chinaman who called found the dead body of Sing Tong in the house. After the man had been killed an attempt had evidently been made to set fire to the ; house. Deceased had been in the habit

1 1 of carrying money on him, from £SO to I £IOO, but this was not found. Altogether I £73 was found ia the hut. Under the I body was found a waist strap. This strap bad been lent to Bromley, who j also borrowed a Remington rifle I and bought some cartridges, though Ihe at first denied doing so. The I suggestion of the Crown was that Stott I and Bromley, who slept in one bunk in a I but about two miles fr om Tapanui, had I committed the crime during the night, and that this accounted for Stcit having money, whereas it was known be had none before. The waist-ooat in which Sing Tong usually kept his money had disap. I peared. A search had resulted in the fiod- I ing of the “ plant ” on land belonging to I Bromley’s father. In this plant was some I tobacoo of the deseciption k'opt by the Chinaman,' wrapped in a handkerchief I sim lar to one sold to Stott; also some I skeleton keys. One Of these keys would open the door of deceased's but. . The Crown Prosecutor detailed the evi- I deuce, which tended to incriminate the I accused, iDcludmg blood steins on their clothes. I

There are a large number of witnesses, and only five had been examined when Ceuci adjQQKQf^